


The Last Lake on Tatooine

by stellacadente



Series: What Came Before [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sporty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 18:26:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8589076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellacadente/pseuds/stellacadente
Summary: Sith Warrior Xhareen decides her crew needs some down time. They have their own ideas about what that means.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Stories written about the Sith Warrior Xhareen and her crew before the events of The Spaces In Between, my main fic.

**Fishing**

Xhareen sat the case down on the sand. She handed out its contents to Quinn and Vette with all the reverence of a spiritual ceremony. Quinn began to speak, but Xhareen shushed him. She’d spent two full days finding this place, the rumored playground of Tatooine’s wealthiest visitors. She finally resorted to calling Captain Cibinel, who was grateful for her help curbing the Exchange’s rogue elements. He fixed her up within hours.

Now the three of them stood at the edge of Tatooine’s only remaining natural lake, protected by its position at the base of a canyon that might better be described as a jar-shaped cave. Quinn had explained on the way here how the site had been formed but Xhareen zoned out, preferring to simply listen to the sound of his voice.

The overhanging ceiling, still open to the hot suns, created a blissfully wide circle of shade. It was cool enough to require putting on long sleeve garments. Xhareen had banned Quinn from wearing any semblance of his Imperial uniform and she had to admit, it had been an excellent decision, seeing him in gray lightweight linen slacks with a simple gray and white shirt billowing as he walked.

The lake was kept stocked with fish that geneticists had determined were once native to the planet and more importantly, good to eat. Xhareen gave a brief lesson on how to use the implements she had removed from the case: Fishing rods, she told them. Line, hook, sinker, strange colorful insectoid contraptions the locals called “lures.”

Vette nodded the entire time, but Quinn kept stopping her with questions.

“My lord, I can take a few readings to determine the best place to cast our lines.” “Yes, but, my lord, you aren’t getting an optimal angle of trajectory with a throw like that.” “I highly doubt that the fish will bite simply because they find the lure ‘pretty’.” That last remark had been toward Vette, who nevertheless grabbed the brightest lures and stomped off as Quinn continued with his interrogation.

Finally, Xhareen had enough. “Do what you want, Captain. Fishing is supposed to be peaceful. It’s an art form, not a science experiment.”

He looked dejected and about to apologize, but Xhareen simply held up her hand. By this point in their relationship, he knew what that meant, and he gathered his things and walked toward his chosen spot. She could see him taking readings, and moving a few meters here and there. He’d cast his line, but then immediately recall it. Then he’d cast farther out. Then over 45 degrees. She wanted to scream “If you just keep your line in one place, you might catch something” but decided to let him have his own kind of fun.

Vette, on the other hand, had decamped for a large rock outcropping almost on the other side of the lake. She saw Xhareen looking at her, and waved. Xhareen waved back.

Time for the fun, she reminded herself, wishing she hadn’t been so cross with Quinn. She loved to fish and hunt and to spend time alone doing these things, but she had genuinely wanted to share this experience with the two people closest to her. Now she’d ruined it.

In a bit of a funk, she stood at the place she thought would be a good spot and tried to enjoy herself, if only a little.

Several hours passed. She’d look over at her friends every now and then. Both seemed rather intent on the task at hand, which made her smile.

When it was almost time for the shuttle taking them back to Mos Ila to return for them, Xhareen let out a sharp whistle, their agreed-upon sign to pack up. Quinn came back with perhaps the biggest grin Xhareen had seen. “Well, looks like you’ve had some fun, Captain.”

“Yes, my lord. Results were better than expected.”

“What are you implying, that you had more fun or that you caught more fish.”

“I only caught one, but it was a superb find. Thank you for letting me do this my preferred way.”

“Is that a boast?” Xhareen wasn’t sure. He was still smiling.

“Forgive me, my lord. I do not boast. I firmly believe my method was superior.”

Xhareen silently swore that if he bowed even a centimeter, she would clock him with her fish. “Not true. I caught two fish,” she declared, showing off her trophies.

Quinn pulled out what could only be described as a museum-quality specimen from his catch bag. “Yes, but mine’s bigger,” he replied.

A loud slapping THUNK! hit the sand and they both jumped. Vette, who had snuck up behind them, began to laugh. The thunk had been her catch bag hitting the sand.

“So what? While the two of you wasted time bickering and brooding and taking measurements, I caught six. Let’s go eat!”


End file.
